Home "Sunday Schooling"

The answer for the spiritual education of our children in the
home church

By Myron Horst

Training children and young people in the ways of the Lord is
very important for passing on the faith to the next generation
and to their children who follow. Building-based churches have
used Sunday school and youth groups for years in an attempt to
train children and young people. However, in the last 50 years or
so, each succeeding generation trained in the church Sunday
school has become more Biblically illiterate than the previous
generation to the point today where there is little difference in
belief between those in the church and those in the world. The
Sunday school has not succeeded because it is based on the
world's public school method of teaching children rather than
following our Creator's instruction manual.

In the house church we have the free­dom to look at what God's
de­sign is for the spir­it­ual edu­cation of the child­ren and
imple­ment that, rather than feel­ing like we have to make our home
church a small rep­lica of the con­ven­tional Sun­day school. Most
build­ing-based church­es are not open to making rad­ical chang­es in
the Sun­day school in order to fol­low the Bible bet­ter. Sun­day
school has be­come a "sac­red cow" in most church­es that can­not be
touched, even though Sun­day school is not in­struc­ted in the
Bible.

While "Home 'Sunday Schooling'" is probably not the best name,
because the spiritual education of the children occurs throughout
the week and not just on Sunday. I use the term "home Sunday
schooling" to help you quickly identify what it means. With home
schooling, the results are often superior to conventional public
schools and Christians schools. In the same way, "home Sunday
schooling" has the potential to be superior to Sunday schools in
training boys and girls to become men and women after God's
heart. The conventional Sunday school has been patterned after
the public school system of graded education that home school
students have proved to be an inferior method of education. But
more importantly, Sunday school is not based on any command or
instruction in scripture.

Sunday Schools became popular because fathers were not
training their children, and the children were Biblically
illiterate. Instead of giving the fathers the tools and training
that they needed to train their children, the Church took over
the fathers' God given responsibility. At first Sunday school
appeared to be the answer. Children learned more about the Bible.
But as the years have passed, with each succeeding generation the
Church as a whole has moved further away from the Bible, and
become more like the world. We are now at a point where a survey
from the Barna Research Group has found that the beliefs and
practices among born again Christians are basically no different
from non-Christians. We have come full circle with the Sunday
school, and the children in the Sunday school are little
different than those who do not attend Sunday school. The answer
is not to reform the Sunday school which is based on the wrong
method of spiritual education of children, but to return the
responsibility of the spiritual education of the children to
their father.

Splitting the responsibility of spiritual education of the
children between the church and the father will not work in the
long run. If men allow others to take some of the responsibility
for spiritually training their children, they by their very
nature tend to turn the whole responsibility over to others. This
is evidenced by the way that most men in building based churches
feel that their children's spiritual education is being
accomplished because their children are in church and Sunday
school. Most fathers have little spiritual interaction with their
children. They seem to feel that the spiritual part of the
education has been taken care of, and they are uncertain of what
else to do. As I see it, this is the greatest downfall of the
current Sunday school system. Fathers have turned their God-given
responsibility for training their children in the ways of the
Lord over to others.

Your home church is the ideal place to do away with the failed
Sunday school system and to implement God's method of training
Children in spiritual things. Sunday school is such an integral
part of the conventional church that it is almost impossible for
most people in a building based church to objectively see the
error of the Sunday school system and make such a radical
change.

The fathers need a heart's desire and willingness to do
whatever it takes to feed their children from the Bible. Fathers
need to be given tools, curriculum and training, so that they
know what to teach and can feel confident to be able to
accomplish their God given responsibility of spiritually training
their own children. When the fathers are given the full
responsibility for training their own children, then the father
has no one else to blame for how his children turned out, and he
gets the credit when they turn out well. When the father has the
full responsibility for spiritually training his children, then
it becomes more apparent which men are spiritually qualified to
be spiritual leaders because they can be judged by the spiritual
maturity of their children.

What God says about spiritual training of
children

Genesis 18:17-19 "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham
that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become
a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall
be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his
children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way
of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring
upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him."

The father needs to tell his children what they are to do and
command them that they are to keep the way of the Lord. The
father is to be an example to his children. It is not merely
telling about God's commands but also commanding the children to
obey God. It should be the goal of every Christian father to be a
man like Abraham, that God can say of him that his children and
grandchildren follow him in keeping the way of the Lord.

Exodus 10:2 'And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son,
and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my
signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I
am the LORD."

The father and grandfather need to be directly involved in the
education process and tell what God has done in their lives. You
need to give your testimony. The purpose is to tell and give
proof that God is real and that He is Lord. It is important that
you write down the things that God has done for you, as a family
record of how God worked in your life. This type of record and
heritage is much more valuable and interesting than
genealogies.

Deuteronomy 4:9 "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul
diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have
seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy
life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;"

There is more than one reason to teach. It is also for the
father's and grandfather's benefit. The ones who teach learn the
most - the father and grandfather. The father is to teach, lest
he forgets what God has done, and so it does not depart form his
heart all his days. The result of the father and grandfather
teaching their children and grandchildren is faithfulness all the
days of their lives.

Today many fathers are silent and are not teaching the next
generation, and are leaving the spiritual training to the church.
The parents are falling away from the Lord like their children
and grandchildren.

Teaching by the father is so crucial to spiritual education.
When the father teaches, the whole family draws closer to the
Lord. When parents and grandparents don't teach, all three
generations start moving away from the Lord! By the father
teaching both the children and the grandchildren, he spans two
generations. By doing so, he will help keep the message from
being lost in one generation.

The father needs to teach what he has seen of God's workings.
Write down what God has done in your life and share it to your
children and grandchildren. It is important to retain and pass on
lessons from personal experiences and observations. You need to
tell your children how you have seen the Lord work during your
lifetime, so that your children will know that God is involved in
their lives and not just a God up there in Heaven. We forget so
easily. God has given us as fathers the responsibility to
remember the things God has taught us. Many Christian young
people today have not seen God working in their father's life.
Consequently God is not real in their lives.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 "Now these are the commandments, the
statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to
teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to
possess it: 2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep
all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee,
thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life;
and that thy days may be prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel,
and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye
may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath
promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt
love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command
thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach
them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou
shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as
frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon
the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."

The father is to teach Christ's commands at all times, and to
teach with diligence. The teaching is to occur all day from
getting up to going to bed. Teaching our children:

"When you sit in your house" - Home schooling, meal times,
when you have Christian friends over, etc.

"When we walk by the way" - Driving in the car, shopping,
hiking in the woods.

"When you lie down" - Evening devotions, bed time
stories.

"When you rise up" - Good music, Bible reading at the
breakfast table, singing at the table.

God tells us several things to do to bring to our minds His
Word so that we can teach it at opportune times. The things He
tells us to do are to memorize the Bible, and to put verses on
our doors and doorways so that we see them every time we go
through the door. Also our children will see them every time they
go through the doorways as well. Matthew Henry says this: "We
need to frequently repeat to our children God's Word, trying all
ways of instilling them into their minds."

The father needs to keep close to the Lord and take his
spiritual life seriously if he wants to teach his children to
follow the Lord. To teach our children as God prescribes here we
must be more than just a Sunday Christian. God's Word needs to
come to our minds while we are going about our daily activities.
In order for a father to teach his children, God's Word must be
on his heart, not just a head knowledge of the Bible. God's Word
must be part of his life in governing all of his life. (v.6) The
father must learn obedience to God's commands so that his
children and grandchildren will fear the Lord and keep God's
commands. Children learn obedience and the fear of the Lord by
seeing their father and grandfather following the commands,
statutes, and judgments of the Lord. What the father teaches by
his actions spans two generations - his children and
grandchildren. By seeing it from this perspective, it gives
greater significance to what the father does. What the father
does not only affects him but his children and grandchildren as
well. V.5-7 tell us that the degree to which we love God (With
all our heart, all our soul, and all our might) is indicated by
the degree to which we teach our children the Word of God.

God does not imply here that our children should be taught in
Sunday School, or church, or in a Christian school, but that we
as fathers are to teach our children God's Word.

Deuteronomy 11:19 "And ye shall teach them your children,
speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest
up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine
house, and upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied,
and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware
unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the
earth."

Parents are to teach their children. Teaching one's children
spiritual things is to occur throughout the day and during
various activities - when you sit in your home, as you work and
travel, teaching them the last thing before they go to bed at
night and first thing in the morning. Have things that remind you
of God's commands. Write them on the door jambs and on the doors
and gates. Memorize the commands of God. Hide them in your heart.
This passage is a repeat of Deut. 6:4-9 and is an illustration
that we need to repeat, and repeat things to our children so that
they remember.

We need to teach our children to obey all that Christ
commanded so that the days of their lives will be long and happy.
If we teach ourselves and our children as God prescribes here,
our children will grow up to love the Lord and not turn away to
serve other things such as money, self, and wild living. 3 John
1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in
truth."

Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret thingsbelong unto
the LORD our God: but those thingswhichare
revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that
we may do all the words of this law."

The spiritual secrets and insights that God reveals to us
belong to us and our descendants forever. God implies that the
father needs to teach his children and grandchildren the things
that God reveals to him in the Bible. The benefit is that we and
our descendants will follow all the commands of Christ.

Deuteronomy 32:46-47 "And he said unto them, Set your hearts
unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye
shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of
this law. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is
your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in
the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."

The father needs to really want to follow God's commands so he
can train his children. He must not merely to tell his children
what God's commands are, but he must command his children
to do all the words of God's law. The reason why a father
needs to teach his children is "this is your life." You will
prolong your days in the land. It is not a vain thing. It does
matter what you teach their children. It is worth your time.

Joshua 4:6-7 "That this may be a sign among you, that when
your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What
mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the
waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of
the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were
cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the
children of Israel forever."

A father needs a reminder of what the Lord has done or he
tends forget to tell his children. Unless children are told, they
do not know what the Lord has done for their parents in the
past.

Joshua 24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,
choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served that were on the other side of the
flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but
as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

The only way a father can with certainty make this statement
that Joshua made is if he has invested significant time in
training his children to serve the Lord and has seen the results
and commitments in their lives.

Psalm 44:1 "To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah,
Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have
told us, [what] work thou didst in their days, in the times of
old."

Fathers, tell your children how God worked in your life and
what God has done for you. Hearing is an important part of
spiritual education. Children need to hear their father say "this
is what God did for me…"

Psalm 78:1 "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline
your ears to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth in a
parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3 Which we have heard
and known, and our fathers have told us. 4 We will not hide
[them] from their children, shewing to the generation to come the
praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works
that he hath done. 5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and
appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that
they should make them known to their children: 6 That the
generation to come might know [them, even] the children [which]
should be born; [who] should arise and declare [them] to their
children: 7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget
the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8 And might not be
as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a
generation [that] set not their heart aright, and whose spirit
was not stedfast with God."

It is important that fathers teach their children and
grandchildren what God has done. It's God's law for a father to
teach his children God's commands. God tells us that the result
is the children will set their hope in God, they will not forget
the works of God, and they will keep His commandments. Children
need to hear what God has done in the past so they can see the
power of God and know God is real and so they keep His commands.
To not tell the grandchildren and great grandchildren what God
has done is the same thing as hiding it from them.

This passage gives a hope and a solution for those who did not
have a good, Godly upbringing. They can still step up to the
plate and teach their children and grandchildren to serve the
Lord. We need to keep in focus the importance of training so that
those yet to be born will serve the Lord.

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of
knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son,
hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of
thy mother:"

Children need to be taught by their father to appreciate
wisdom and instruction. The father needs to do the instructing
and to teach his children to hear what he tells them. Children
need to be taught to listen to their father's teaching; it is not
something that comes automatic to children. Children also need to
be taught to remember their mother's laws.

Proverbs 2:1 "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide
my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto
wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou
criest after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for
understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for
her as [for] hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear
of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."

Children need to listen to their father's instructions so that
they learn wisdom. To get a true spiritual education a person
must receive his father's words and remember them, they need to
have a desire to get wisdom and a heart desire to get
understanding, and they must cry out to God for knowledge and
pray for understanding.

A father needs to train his children to look for knowledge and
understanding as if they were preparing for a career or for
making money. An ear that is inclined toward wisdom and a heart
that is inclined toward understanding will listen to his father's
instructions.

Proverbs 3:1 "My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart
keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and
peace, shall they add to thee."

It is essential that a father tell his children to keep his
commandments and remember his laws. He must also tell his
children the benefits of obedience. The reason why should be
given along with commands. They need to be taught that keeping
their parents' commands will give them more productivity, a
longer life, and peace. In order for a child to obey from the
heart, there must be a desire to please his father.

Proverbs 3:11-13 "My son, despise not the chastening of the
LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD
loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son inwhom he delighteth. 13 Happy is the man that
findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding."

The word chastening used here does not mean to only punish but
to also teach and instruct. A father who loves and delights in
his child will not merely punish the child, he will discipline
the child; that is, he will teach and instruct the child in the
way he should go at the time of discipline. A father can punish
his child and not love him, but a person who does not love his
child will not discipline him. A father who does not discipline
(punish and also teach and instruct) his child does not truly
love his child or delight in him.

We need to teach our child to not reject discipline. We can do
that by: 1) Admitting when we are wrong. 2) Accepting God's
discipline on us, and showing our children how God disciplined us
and taught us a lesson. 3) By training the child to receive a
rebuke with a learner's heart.

Proverbs 4:1-27 "Hear, ye children, the instruction of a
father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good
doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3 For I was my father's son,
tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4 He taught me
also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my
commandments, and live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget
it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her
not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep
thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and
with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she
shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost
embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace:
a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 10 Hear, O my son,
and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in
right paths. 12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be
straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she
is thy life. 14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not
in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from
it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done
mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some
to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the
wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining
light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The
way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they
stumble. 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my
sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the
midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find
them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all
diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from
thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25 Let
thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight
before thee. 26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways
be established. 27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:
remove thy foot from evil."

A father is to instruct his children and teach his children
sound doctrine. The bulk of instruction should be from the
father, not from the church. He needs to give the children the
reason why they should obey his commands -- "keep my commandments
and live." It is important that the father tells his
children over and over not to forget what he has taught them. It
is mentioned five times in the first six verses. Fathers need to
write down their spiritual instructions to their children. A
father needs to tell his children to be attentive and listen to
what he says. Children need to see their parents' words as highly
important.

God says over and over, "My son," which means, "Builder of the
family name." In particular, sons, the builders of the family
name, need to be trained by their father in spiritual matters.
When the sons are what they should be, the daughters will often
follow. Boys need to be taught to lead and to treat their sisters
with gentleness and courtesy. Girls need to be taught to
follow.

Wisdom needs to be taught hand-in-hand with God's commands
because wisdom is necessary for keeping God's commands. Children
need to be told to get understanding, and why spiritual
understanding is so necessary. A father also needs to command his
children to stay away from wickedness and to not stay in a
situation where evil is occurring. It is this kind of spiritual
training that the father gives to his children that makes them
physically healthy.

Again it says, "Be attentive to what I am saying." Children
need to be taught to have a learner's heart.

Proverbs 6:20 "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and
forsake not the law of thy mother: 21 Bind them continually upon
thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck. 22 When thou goest,
it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and
[when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. 23 For the
commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of
instruction [are] the way of life:"

Pro 8:32 "Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for
blessed are they that keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction, and be
wise, and refuse it not. 34 Blessed is the man that heareth me,
watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the
LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:
all they that hate me love death."

Proverbs 13:1 "A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction:
but a scorner heareth not rebuke."

It's the father's responsibility to give instruction
and correction. It is his responsibility to help his children
gain wisdom so they listen to his correction and instruction. A
wise son is not perfect. He needs correction and instruction. He
needs to be encouraged not to give up.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 23:22 "Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and
despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and
sell [it] not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and
understanding."

Parents, especially the father, are to teach their children.
Even adult children need to listen intelligently to their
parents. This verse also gives the implication that adult
children are to obey their parents. It is interesting that the
Hebrew word for "Father" is the very first word in the "Strong's
Hebrew Dictionary".

Proverbs 29:15-17 "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a
child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. (16) When the
wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the
righteous shall see their fall. (17) Correct thy son, and he
shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy
soul."

Wisdom is taught by the father to his children, by spanking
them and then training them in the way they should go. No one
outside the home can give a child wisdom like their father
can.

Isaiah 38:19 "The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as
I [do] this day: the father to the children shall make known thy
truth."

The father needs to teach the children spiritual truths and
show by example and witness what is God's truth. The father needs
to help the builder of the family name, the son, see God's truth
with his own eyes so that it is personal and he believes it. It
is also important for a father to praise God for what He does so
that his children know God's truth. When a father praises the
Lord, he's teaching his children truth.

This command for the father to teach the children is repeated
over and over in Scripture.

Joel 1:2 "Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye
inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in
the days of your fathers? 3 Tell ye your children of it, and
[let] your children [tell] their children, and their children
another generation."

Grandparents need to continue to teach their children even
after they grown up. We need to teach with results in mind so
that it will be taught by our descendants for at least four
generations. God has established a law that parents are to teach
their children so that their children teach the next generation.
Psalms 78:5-7 states "For he established a testimony in Jacob,
and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers,
that they should make them known to their children: 6 That the
generation to come might know them,even the
children which should be born; who should arise and
declare them to their children: 7 That they might set
their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his
commandments:" God commands that what he has done is to be handed
from father to son through all generations.

It is the men who are responsible to teach the children. The
father in particular, bears the main responsibility. He needs to
be sure that he trains his children how to teach the next
generation. It is also important for a father to tell his
children to listen intelligently to what he is saying and to give
their whole attention to it lest anything escapes them. Unless
the father passes things on to the next generation and they pass
things on to the next generation... things will be lost.

Malachi 4:6 "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I
come and smite the earth with a curse."

Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for
this is right. 2 Honor thy father and mother; which is the first
commandment with promise; 3 That it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest live long on the earth. 4 And, ye fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord."

God commands fathers to train their children in the ways of
the Lord.

Colossians 3:20 "Children, obey your parents in all things:
for this is well pleasing unto the Lord."

1Timothy 3:4 "One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not
how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church
of God?)"

1 Timothy 3:12 "Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife,
ruling their children and their own houses well."

2 Timothy 3:14 "But continue thou in the things which thou
hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the
holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus."

Titus 1:6 "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife,
having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly."

This verse implies that the father is responsible for how his
children turn out.

Hebrews 12:6-11 "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure
chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he
whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards,
and not sons. (9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh
which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much
rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
(10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own
pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of
his holiness. (11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to
be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the
feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that
which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be
healed."

A child who has been trained by discipline will have two
characteristics: 1) A Godly, holy life. 2) The child will be
peaceful - the household will be peaceful. The purpose of
discipline is to train our children, not merely to punish. Verses
12 & 13 give the balancing principle for discipline. If a
child is lame - he has a problem for which he does not know how
to help himself or how to correct - and in a time of weakness he
repeats the offense, we need to show him how to change and how to
work at his problem. To only punish, without showing how to
change, will only cause the problem to become worse and to cause
bitterness and anger to set in.

The church has a lot of ’answers’ about divorce and remarriage, but still many people feel like they don’t have God’s answer. After doing the research for this report, I had to ask, ’Why didn’t we see this before?’

In the fall of 2007, Willow Creek church released the results of
their three million dollar research into the effectiveness of
their church program and 30 other churches. They were shocked to
find that they were not bringing people to spiritual maturity.
What they thought would produce spiritual maturity was not. They
believed that the more people participated in church programs the
greater spiritual maturity it would produce. They found that the
amount of involvement in church programs had no correlation with
the depth of someone’s spiritual maturity. What makes this
mistake so significant is that Willow Creek is a church that has
12,000 churches in their Willow Creek Association, and has taught
thousands of pastors how to “do church” to produce
church growth. To some degree, Willow Creek Church has influenced
how most churches today “do church”. “And if
the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
(Matthew 15:14)

What is the answer to helping people come to maturity in
Christ? Take another look at the Great Commission. The answer is
there. We have been focusing on the first part of the commission
– evangelism – and have overlooked the second half
thinking we know what it is saying. But look again at what Jesus
says in giving us the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world.
Amen.” (Matthew 28:19) The missing key to spiritual
maturity is teaching others Christ’s commands in the New
Testament and teaching them to follow the commands. An excellent
subject for Bible study is to take each of Christ’s
commands and study them. There is a list of Christ’s commands on this website.

Discipleship, Spiritual Maturity, and Christ’s Commands

Jesus defines a disciple as one who follows His commands. A person who is spiritually mature is one who knows Christ’s teachings in the New Testament and who follows them with all his or her heart, soul, mind and strength. The following passages of Scripture over and over stress the importance of doing what Jesus says to do:

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

2 Corinthians 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

Galatians 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8 This persuasion [cometh] not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort [you] by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, [so] ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

The church has a lot of ’answers’ about divorce and remarriage, but still many people feel like they don’t have God’s answer. After doing the research for this report, I had to ask, ’Why didn’t we see this before?’

There is a debate among Christians: Is music itself amoral? That question, while appropriate to ask, is actually viewing music from the wrong perspective, or more specifically from too limited a perspective. It is amazing how much of the debate centers around the opinions of people and very little is based on the Bible.

The most significant subject facing the Church: The Bible and what has been removed, added and changed in modern translations in the name of scholarship. When two different translations say different things, which one is truth?

The most significant subject facing the Church: The Bible and what has been removed, added and changed in modern translations in the name of scholarship. When two different translations say different things, which one is truth?

The church has a lot of ’answers’ about divorce and remarriage, but still many people feel like they don’t have God’s answer. After doing the research for this report, I had to ask, ’Why didn’t we see this before?’

There are a whole range of English Bible translations to choose from, and more keep coming out. Which Bible translation is the best one to study, meditate on, and use for our guide in faith and practice?

There are a lot of false teachings about the head covering, false teachings that have been passed from commentary to commentary, from professor to student, from pastor to lay person. We have heard them so often many believe them to be true, but research shows clearly that they are false.

The practical application of the Bible, the real meat, for us as Christians is Christ’s Commands. Learn how to carry out the second half of the Great Commission - ’Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’

The answer for the Spiritual education of our children in the home church. In the House church we have the freedom to look at what God’s design is for the spiritual education of the children and implement that rather than feeling like we have to make our home church a small replica of the conventional Sunday school.

The songs that we sing and listen to permanently shape our understanding of who God is and what the Christian life is all about. Educators readily recognize that information in song form is easier to remember. Songs that children learn are remembered the rest of their lives.

Millions of Christians in the last several years are totally rethinking what ’church’ is and are looking for a deeper relationship with Christ. Much of what defines what the conventional church is, how people are fed spiritually, and how money is spent by the church does not have a specific basis in Scripture.